Being in your cubicle from nine to five is sure exhausting and stressful. And at the end of every workweek, you always have the chance to unwind, make yourself a fancy dinner at home, or meet up with your friends. There might also be a chance when your work colleagues or possibly your boss invites you to a Friday night out.
You might have some hesitations, but it would be nice to accept their invitation every once in a while. This is also a logical thing to do, mostly if you have built a solid friendship with your colleagues and you have no prior commitments. So go ahead and indulge!
If you need a guide on how to make the most of it (and make it less awkward in case you’re not a very social person), here are some things you need to bear in mind:
Be careful with the conversation topics
Drinking or having dinner with your trusted colleagues will always be mixed with some office gossips or issues at work. And that’s fine. But if your upcoming Friday night will involve your boss or a coworker who is often the subject of your gossip, you might want to bite your tongue. Nevertheless, be careful with conversation topics and avoid subject matters that can be divisive. You are gathered to have fun and not to have a fight. Be sensitive also, and pick the right words in case there is slight disagreement or debate.
Bring your own money
A company-sponsored event might mean that the gathering will be free of charge. Otherwise, you have to be sensitive also of what mode the tab will be this night. If you have a boss coming with you, do not assume that they will automatically cover the night’s charge. There’s a chance that you guys will all go Dutch, or the boss will pay for 50% of the bill. This means that you have to bring cash. And while you are at it, set aside for your cab money so that you will not have a hard time when it’s closing time after finding out that you’ve spent everything on drinks.
Have self-control
You don’t want to be that office colleague who locks himself in the bathroom sits on the heated toilet seat because he’s too drunk to stand up, and moving might make him puke. To avoid this scenario, you need to learn how to pace yourself. If you’re feeling a bit tipsy, stop drinking, and try sobering up. Eat a few appetizers and hydrate. And if you think that you have reached your limit, bid your teammates goodbye and book a cab.
Be helpful
Expect that there will be this one office mate who will be drunk. And chances are, they will make a fool of themselves. Don’t let him humiliate himself in front of the boss; help him sober up. You’d want to have someone do that to you in case you have become drunk, wouldn’t you? So do it for others, too!
Have fun!
The ultimate rule of going out on a Friday night with work colleagues is to have fun! So make sure that it happens. After all, you all deserve it after a long week of hard work.
